NYC nightclub sued for discrimination

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Four black partygoers are suing a New York City nightclub for barring them while allowing white patrons to enter, court documents show.

Julia Cook, one of the plaintiffs, said "it was humiliating" when she and two of her female friends were prevented from entering 230 Fifth and were called "classless black [expletive]" by a bouncer in front of other patrons.

"People were laughing at us," she told the New York Daily News Thursday.

Cook and her friends were there to meet Jermaine Sanders, who was already inside the club to celebrate his birthday.

Sanders said he had similar problems when trying to enter the club. He said he called the club ahead of time to reserve a table for his group and was told he could do so if he paid $320 for bottle service. He agreed, but when he arrived at the club with three other friends, he said, the bouncer told him he couldn't enter and forced him to pay another $320 for bottle service.

Sanders said when Cook and her friends later tried to enter the club he tried to explain to the bouncer they were with him.

The group accused the bouncer of discrimination because he continued to let in white patrons while telling Cook and Sanders there was no more room.

"I let enough of you up here tonight," the bouncer allegedly said.

"It's unfathomable in this era to believe this kind of thing is going on," said the group's lawyer, Fred Lichtmacher. "This is 1930s-style Alabama treatment."

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